Zambia: Two Nabbed Over Cab Driver Murder

TWO suspected masterminds in the gruesome killing of a taxi driver who was dumped in Lusaka's Roma Township have been arrested, a highly placed police source has confirmed.

The murder suspects were arrested around 21:00 hours on Monday near Arcades Shopping Mall where they resurfaced after last Thursday's heinous murder of Matthews Chipili, who was found dead with his facial skin peeled off, his left eye gouged out and gullet removed.

"All I can say is that investigations are still on-going," Ms Kasosa said.

However, the Times of Zambia learnt that the arrest caused a stir as Christmas celebrations heightened at Arcades and surrounding areas.

Mr Chipili's body was dumped at an undeveloped plot in Roma area and was discovered by passersby who alerted the police.

Police are still hunting for more suspects in the horrific murder, which once again shocked the public after the July 14 gruesome killing of Ruth Mbandu who was a student at the National Institute of Public Administration. She was murdered in a similar fashion.

Mr Chipili was put to rest on Saturday at Lusaka's Chingwere Cemetery.

Colleagues of the late Chipili immediately recognised the two assailants and alerted the police, who apprehended them.

A source disclosed in an interview in Lusaka that the murder suspects reappeared on Saturday evening and had a meal at a named place near Arcades before they were apprehended.

It is further believed taht the two suspects are part of a group of seven people behind the murder and police have since intensified investigations.

The gruesome killing is still fresh in the mind of the deceased's mother, Dorothy Chipili, who yesterday was drained with emotions as she appealed for justice to prevail in the murder case.

"I just want to know why they had to kill my son in such a manner. Don't they have children or a family to have a heart? They could have just beaten him and let him unlike doing what they did to him.

"Where did they take my son's skin and his throat..I want to know," Mrs Chipili who was found home in Ng'ombe Township said as she almost broke down.

More questions than answers linger her mind as she appealed to the police to conduct their work in a professional manner and expeditiously.

"This Christmas has been the worst for me, my husband and children, only God knows what happened that day, and why they did it to my son," Mrs Chipili said.

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